After someone hears the Gospel and accepts Christ into their heart, the next thing we strive for most here at Pacific Garden Mission is lasting, sustained change within their life. Whether our graduates move on from here or stay at the Mission and become employees, we desire to see them become fully functioning followers of Christ wherever God leads them.

In this month’s issue, we are sharing an update on Lori. She was featured in a 2019 issue of PGM News and today continues to serve at PGM employed in our Donor Development Department. Lori went from being homeless and staying in our dayroom to graduating from the Bible program and getting hired by PGM. We hope her story of lasting life change and healing encourages you as much as it does us.

Lori

“I am grateful to Pacific Garden Mission for getting me back on my feet, for helping get my head and thoughts back through years of prayer and a rough road traveled. I will always show gratitude to Pacific Garden Mission for taking me in when I was down and out, when I had nowhere to go. I have worked in the Donor Development Department for the last three years. I sort the incoming financial donations and scan the same, preparing these donations for the bank deposits.

“I came to Pacific Garden Mission because my life was very unstable. The ups and downs were too much for me to handle alone. When I was only four years old, my mother died of a brain tumor, and for a time, my family was broken apart until my father remarried. These events stayed with me and weighed me down as I grew. Later in life, I was at a breaking point, losing my job, father, and stepmother within the same year. On top of that, my marriage of 18 years was failing. I needed a change. That is what brought me through the doors of PGM. I needed something to hold onto, some strength, and that’s what I found at Pacific Garden Mission.

“The first night I was in the PGM chapel, I heard a sermon in the nightly service . . . that is when I decided to turn my life over to Jesus Christ.”

“Initially, I required somewhere to sleep, and I was sent to Pacific Garden Mission by another shelter that had run out of beds. When I got here, the only possessions I owned were a backpack with a pair of jeans in it. The staff at PGM made sure I got all the necessities I needed, including clothing, toiletries, a shower, a bed to sleep in, and three meals a day. The first night I was in the PGM chapel, I heard a sermon in the nightly service given by Pastor Percy (a graduate of the New Life Program), and that is when I decided to turn my life over to Jesus Christ.

“The New Life Program was wonderful and has many counselors you can go to for advice and mentoring. Learning more about the Bible and getting closer to God has been very helpful, especially with what I have gone through, including the early death of my mother.

“Today, I also work with the legacies, which are the donors who add Pacific Garden Mission to their wills. When they become deceased, PGM receives a portion of their will. I maintain legacy files and the legacy spreadsheet. I speak with the donors and find out how they connected initially with Pacific Garden Mission, thanking them for their support. I enjoy connecting with the donors and finding out what their stories are. They all have many interesting tales. Many of them tell me that PGM is doing a GREAT job!

“I recently moved out to my own place, which has given me back my sense of independence. I worked hard, saved money, and I prayed on it daily. God showed me when the time was right to move, and I did it. After being separated for many years, I have been blessed to get to know my sons again. We are getting to know each other all over again, and it has been a joy! A lot of forgiveness has gone along with it on both ends.

“Right now, I am proving to myself that I can do it on my own. But I do know I need God, and I do know I need my family and lots of other people in my life!”

“If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” Romans 12:18 KJV

Through the Bible program and her relationship with God, Lori has begun rebuilding her life and her relationships. With her own apartment and independence, she is becoming a fully functioning follower of Christ. We want to thank you for supporting this ministry and providing the resources people need to rebuild their lives upon a Christ-centered foundation. Thank you!

You can help more people rebuild their lives and become fully functioning followers of Christ with your gift today.

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